Don’t make these mistakes when choosing a new neighborhood!

When moving to a new city or state we put most of our efforts into finding out dream home. But the reality is that your “dream” home won’t be much of a dream if the neighborhood isn’t right for you. Don’t make these three mistakes when choosing your new neighborhood or you may regret it.

Thinking it will be temporary
Many people move after a big change in their life such as a divorce or changing jobs. They think of the transition as temporary and choose their neighborhood with the mentality of “I will move in a few years.” Even if you do move after a few years this is a long time to live in a place that you don’t like. Only choose a neighborhood that you can see yourself in for the long haul.

Making presumptions about the area
The area you are moving to is affluent and the lawns are nicely manicured? That doesn’t mean the neighborhood doesn’t have high crime rates or its share of problems. Take your time to check the stats and don’t just go by your assumptions about the neighborhood.

Not calculating the costs of commuting
Americans spend almost an entire week each year on commuting and spend about $818 just on fuel. You might think that you can handle and afford the commute but research it carefully. Even if the commute is the same mileage as your previous commute the traffic conditions might be worse or there may be tolls or higher gas costs to consider.